Sports anime is one of the most prolific and popular genres, producing some of the most thrilling and acclaimed series in anime history. The suspenseful and gripping stories of dedicated athletes overcoming challenges on their way to the top are universally relatable. Over the years, the genre adopted many recognizable tropes and most modern sports titles follow the same formula.
However, some shows dare to challenge the genre's canons, drifting into the more venturesome territory. These unorthodox sports anime might not have the same universal appeal as their more conventional counterparts. Nevertheless, dedicated fans still believe that they're worth watching.
10 Girls Und Panzer's Wacky Concept Is Too Bizarre For Most
Girls Und Panzer
"Cute girls riding tanks" is a pretty unorthodox premise for a sports anime. Yet, Girls und Panzer managed to take this bizarre idea and make it a massive franchise. For fans of moe shows, this peculiar series is a must-watch, giving a creative spin to the classic slice-of-life formula.
However, for most, Girls und Panzer's gimmick is too strange to spark genuine interest. In the sea of lusterless "cute girls" shows, Girls und Panzer stands out through its genuine strife to entertain its audience, making it a worthwhile watch despite its silly premise.
9 Redline Is Too Hectic To Get Its Point Across
Redline
The cult classic racing sci-fi spectacle Redline has an iconic status within the anime community. The impressive feature took seven years to make, using more than 100,000 frames to produce this adrenaline-fueled action piece. The dedication of Redline's team is visible in every aspect of this over-the-top movie.
Yet, some believe that the film's intensity works to its detriment. As a passion project that showcases all the extreme capabilities of animation, Redline works wonderfully. However, its fast-paced story suffers from a lack of cohesiveness, making it difficult to recommend.
8 Free! Iwatobi Swim Club Has The Reputation Of An Uninspired Bishounen Flick
Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
Sports series often explicitly target female audiences, making their male characters attractive and adding emotional drama to the mix of action. Shows like Haikyuu!! and Sk8 The Infinity succeeded in balancing out the fan service and story development. However, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club leans more heavily into its fan service elements, earning a somewhat unfortunate reputation.
While forced drama between a group of pretty boys isn't a recipe for a critically acclaimed sports series, fans of Free! forgive the show for its shortcomings. Instead of dwelling on the negatives, they focus on the show's gorgeous animation and nuanced, complex character writing.
7 Stellar Action Is The Only Notable Aspect Of The God Of High School
The God Of High School
The hit martial arts anime The God of High School was a highly anticipated spectacle, with every fan wondering if the series would live up to the original Webtoon's reputation. This competitive sports series had the potential to take the community by storm.
Unfortunately, The God of High School left many fans disappointed. While the show's art and action choreography are impeccable, some fans found the narrative aspects of the series painfully boring. Nevertheless, this action flick is incredibly entertaining, as long as the viewers aren't expecting it to be anything more than that.
6 Ping Pong The Animation Looks Nothing Like A Typical Anime
Ping Pong The Animation
The acclaimed anime director Masaaki Yuasa is famous for his unorthodox approach to storytelling and unconventional visual style. His sports series Ping Pong The Animation has all the signature elements of the renowned artist. The series' distinct look is usually the first thing that stands out to the viewers, scaring them away from the show.
Some might even call Ping Pong The Animation ugly. However, the unique visuals create a truly unique cinematic experience. While far from the pretty art style of conventional anime, this sport series uses its differences to its advantage.
5 Tomorrow's Joe Has No Appeal For Modern Fans
Tomorrow's Joe
One of the first sports series to ever air and definitely the first anime to revolve around boxing, 1970s Tomorrow's Joe is held in high regard by old-time fans. Despite its significance to the genre, modern viewers often disregard this classic title for being dated.
Animation and storytelling conventions in anime have changed drastically over the past 50 years, making Tomorrow's Joe a bit too slow-paced and visually dated for the demanding audiences of today. Nevertheless, diehard sports fans still recognize this legendary series as a timeless classic.
4 Kuroko's Basketball Is Too Unrealistic For Some Fans
Kuroko's Basketball
Weird attack names, supernatural powers, and characters bending the laws of physics are all common tropes of shonen anime that sometimes make it into the sports genre. Yet, no show tests the audience's suspension of disbelief as much as Kuroko's Basketball. Before this series, no one knew that high school basketball could require superhuman strength or mystical abilities.
Kuroko's Basketball treats sports as a fantasy setting, often putting its characters in situations that can't be resolved without unlocking special magical moves. Fans of realism should skip this title, as Kuroko's Basketball refuses to play by the rules of conventional sports.
3 Chihayafuru's Subject Matter Is Too Foreign For Most Western Viewers
Chihayafuru
While most sports titles focus on flashy, exciting games, Chihayafuru dared to make a niche Japanese card game, karuta, its subject. Consequently, fans of more intense sports anime dismissed this slice-of-life series, unwilling to give this obscure show a chance.
For dedicated fans, Chihayafuru became a cult classic, managing to make a seemingly boring game into something thrilling. In addition, it features excellent characterization that elevates the story. Nevertheless, someone looking for an action-packed spectacle should probably steer clear of this particular sports drama.
2 Teekyu's Absurd Plot Barely Revolves Around Tennis
Teekyu
Teekyu must be one of the most surreal and bizarre sports anime out there, which makes it a hard sell for most viewers. The absurd shenanigans of Teekyu follow a school tennis club that doesn't really play tennis.
Instead, its wacky members engage in eccentric hijinks, breaking all laws of physics and storytelling. While not a universally appealing series since it's just a low-budget absurd comedy with 2-minute episodes, Teekyu brings something unique to the genre and can be appreciated by those tired of generic sports titles.
1 Keijo Has Too Much Fun With Its Fan Service
Keijo
Fan service often gets a bad reputation in the anime community, deemed tasteless and unnecessary by most fans. However, it's an integral part of the medium, and series that use fan service purposefully often benefit from it.
Keijo is one of the most unapologetic fan service series in the entire sports genre. It focuses on a fictional sport in which girls battle on a platform floating over the water using only their bottoms and chests. And while this series is far from sophisticated and might offend some viewers, it flaunts its indulgences with pride and joy.